Time-controlled apparatus.



H. BATES.

TIME CONTROLLED APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED DEO.3,191 -0 1,007,415. I r Patented Oct. 31; 1911.

6 SHEETSSHEET 1,.

WITNESSES;

M I I f ATTORNEY H. BATES.

TIME CONTROLLED APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED DBG.3,1910.

l ,()O7,415, Patented 00t.31,1911.

6 EHEETSSHEET 2.

ATTOHNE H. BATES.

TIME CONTROLLED APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED DEC. 3, 1910.

Patented Oct. 31, 191i.

6 SHEETSSHEET 3.

H. BATES TIME CONTROLLED APPARATUS.

APPLIOATION FILED 13 50.3, 1910.

1,007,415, Patenmd 00t.31,1911.

6 SHEETSSHEBT 4.

WITNESSES: INVENTOR BATES.

TIME CONTROLLED APPARATUS,

- APPLICATION IILEDDEO. 3, 1910. 1,007.41 5- Patented 0013.31, 1911.

e BEEETSSHBET 5.

K7,. ATTORNEY BATES.

TIME CONTROLLED APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED 1320.3, 1910. I 1,007,415. Patented 0011.31,.1911.

6 SHESTSSHEET 6.

llll'lllll W/71VE88E8: INVENTOR 7 176m?! 5 H7155,

v ATTORIJEY Cit PATENT OFFICE.

HARRY BATES, OF WE ST COPAKE, NEW YQRK.

TIME-CON'ITR-OLLED APPARATUS.

Application filed December 3, 1910.

Specification of Letters Eatent.

Patented Oct. 31, 1911.

Serial No. 595.493.

To all whom it may concern: I

Be it known that l. l'l.\1 RY l ).\lEt a citi- Zen of the United States. residingat \l'est topake. in the county oi Columbia and State of New York. have invented new and useful Improvements in Time-Controlled .\pparatus, ol' which the ollowiug' is a specification.

lwcfutorg .--hly invention relates to the broad class oi inventions knowiigby the neneric name of time-ctmtrollerl mechanisms," and has more particular reference to a device a ll'ordiug mechanical means for rememberin aiding;- the human memory and positively preventing forgettulness. It could be aptly cluiracterized as a tinvindex. a "memory boxor a remembrancer.

()bjccfar l he invention has for its object, generally stated. to providea noyel type ot mechanism, of the nature referred to, which shall be relatively simple in construction and, consequently, susceptible of manufacture at a reasonable cost, which shall be absolutely automatic. positive. and reliable in operation, and which may be sold at a comparatively moderate cost, to net a good profit to the manufacturer.

A specific object is the provision of such adevice which shall be very compact in its nature. so that it may be admirably adapted for use as an oltice-convenience. in that it is designed to be of such size as to be readily disposed on an otiice desk.

()ther subsidiary objects, going up the ultimate perfection of the vice. will appear ceeds and the fully appears.

I avas-The; devices ofmy invention are. capable of advantageous use in a multiplicity of situations: They are most admi- -ably adapted for use in otlices of business men and of professional men, and in shops and factories, as they an be utilized to remind the user thereof of bills to collect, notes that are due, of times for consultations and engagements, ot' telephone-callsto be attended to, etc. It the user of the device be a lawyer, it can be employed to Remind ,him of his cases in court, of engagen'ients with clients. etc. If the user be a. hotelkeeper, it will be unnecessary for him to to make whole deas the specification pronature of the invention more i l l t keep the assignments. etc.

axiomatic that an inventor usual room-call lists of his guests, for my device automatically delivers the ards. at predetermined intervals, to the tclc hone-operator, or bell-boy, or other employee. avoiding all mistakes. It the user be a newspaper editor, it can be employed as a reminder of the proper times to give out If the user be a car-despatcher. it can be employed to remind him ot the times when certain cars shall leave the barn.

etc. It the user be a public speaker.

it can be employed to deliver, auto- 1 maticallv, at predetermined intervals, as desired, the sub-heads or different paragraphs of the speech or discourse. The device may be used. to advantage, by public officers. physicians. nurses. dentists. train-despatchers. etc. It is impossible and would be supertluous to enumerate all the uses to which the iavention may be applied; the above are given simply as a skeleton outline, it being is entitled to protect-ion for his invention in all the uses to which it may be put.

Brief outline of general sfructme.- Vith the above objects and uses in view, it may be noted that. the invention contemplates the utilization. in a. novel and advantageous manner, of index-cards or units, '2'. 0., of cards. as units, bearing indicia or legends, constituting memoranda, or means of identification, such cards being familiar in the. 'arious \vellknown card-index systems in common use in this country and abroad.

The invention is designed, primarily, to provide a. card-index discharging-apparatus and alarm-device, which shall be mechanically controlled automatically to discharge a card, onset or sets of cards, at desired, predetermined intervals, and, synchronously therewith, 'f desired, to sound an audible .ala rm.

More specifically, the invention contem plates the provision of a box or casing having therein two distinct sets or series of cardholders. pockets,- or sections, one set thereof constituting a daily "card-index, and the other set thereof a monthly card-index; and the pockets of each set having dumpingbottoms or gates engageable by lever rods, which are adapted to be automatically actuated by'tripping-mechanisijngyitnd, in this connection, it may be said that the daily card-index sections are designed to be automatically tripped only when they contain cards, as distinguished from the monthly card-index. sections, which are auton'iatically tripped at midnight each day, irrespective of whether or not there happens to be any card or cards therein.

The invention also contemplates the novel construction whereby the card-index pockets may be manually tripped, when desired, to release their contents.

Brief (Zea apt ion 0f the drawingalii the accompanying drawings, forming part of my application for patent, and in which like letters of reference indicate corresponding parts throughout the several views, I have, for illustrative purposes, shown one form of embodiment of my invention, capable of carrying out the underlying principles thereof; and in these drawings:

Figure 1 is a front elevation of my device; Fig. 2 is a longitudinal, vertical section, taken on the line 2 2, Fig. 1; Fig.

o Is it bottom plan view; Fig. 4 is a transverse, rert cal section, on the line 44, Fig. 2; Fig. 5 is a fragmentary, enlarged, perspective, detail View of a portion of the casing and of certain card-pockets and the leverrods actuating the dumping-bottoms or gates of said pockets; Fig. (3 is a fragmentary, detail view, in top plan, partly in section, showing, essentially, a portion of one of the worm-rods, one of the card-pocket lever-rod trippers and its associated mechanism traveling on the worm-rod, and the means for releasing such associated mechanism from engagement with the worm-rod, to permit said t'ripper and its connected mechanism to return toinitial position; Fig. 7 is a side elevation of the parts shown in Fig. 6; Fig. 8 is a section on the line 8 8, Fig. 9; Fig. 9 is a fragmentary,detail view, in side elevation, partly in' section, of a split collar (shown in Figs. 6 and- 7) engaging the wormrod; Fig. 10 is a collective detail View of one of the card-pocket lever:

- rod trippers. Fig. 11 is a side view of the train of gears, the main operating spring,

and associated mechanism for actuating the worm-rods, part .of the casing being. broken away to show the interior mechanism; and Fig. 12 1s a face view ot the same parts, part of the casing being broken awayto show interior.mechanism.

Detailed Description of the Drawings. The-casing.Referring, now, in detail to the draw1ng. A designates a casing, 111- closing the working erably, for strength, of lightweight metal,

speaking, a rectangular structure, as shown 'may be usedas a through of a calendar.

parts of my mechanism, Whlch may be of anv suitable material, prefin the drawings, comprising a top a, a bottom (4, a right-hand side wall a, a left-hand side wall a, a. front end wall a", and a rear end wall w". The front end wall 1.4 is provided with a suitable opening a for the discharge of cards released trom the cardpockets (hereinafter described). Sn id opening is, preferably, disposed ncar the bottom of said wall and, advantageously, medially of the length thcreot, as shown: and the bottom wall'a of said opening is, preferably, slightly above the bottom a. of the cas ing. thus constituting an abutment or stop, against which the cards impinge and are halted in their downward flight a'l'lcr release from the carthpm'ltcts. The front wall (4* may, also, be provided, desirably on each side of said opening (1 with additional, smaller openings for the reception of trays or drawers a, 11 wlnch may be used for any suitable purpose: For instance, it.

the device should be used by a physician or a dentist, the drawer a", or the drawer (/7. charge box; that is to say, when a card, notit'ying him of an appointment with, a patient, has been discharged from a card-pocket, he may make a memorandum thereon of a charge for his services in the particular case, after he has prescribed for, or otherwise attended to, his patient; the physician then placing the card in the charge b'ox this suggested use of the charge box practically subset-ring the function, and dispensing with the use, of a set of books. Said front face or wall a of the casing may. also, be providedwith openings a a". c", for the exhibition there-' Thus, through the opening (t -may be seen the name of a month of the year, such as June; through the opening a, a number, such as 25. indirating the day of the month; and, through the opening a, the name of the day, such as Saturday The calendar, placed back of the front wall a, and viewed through said openings, may, if desired, be controlled or governed in its movement, by automati rally-operating time-controlled mechanism; but, as this featureformsno part of my inention, I have not herein illustrated, or

particularly described, such automzitically- I actuating calendarmechanism, especially as such mechanisms are well-known in the arts.

Said front wallarmay, also, be provided with an opening, which may be occupied by a clock-face or dial a. z

The top'a of the casing is, desirably and advantageously, inclined upward from the front to the rearthereof, shown, whereby the successive tiersof card-pockets (hercin. after specifically described) may occupy positions of differing, i. 6., progressively or successively higher, points-of elevation, like the rows of seats in a theater,'-or.othor public auditorium. The top a is provided, preferscrewcpenings in the walls a, a".

day, and so on.

ably' adjacent the two longitudinal sides thereof, with two elongated openings, X, Y, in which are seated two sets or series of (Jar d-pockets 0r compm'fmcnzia l hc sets are designated by the reference-letters B, 13, the former series constituting what I term, and which will hereinafter be referred to as, the monthly niemoranda holder, the sow eral pockets or cmnpartments of which are tripped, successively, at midnight each day, and the latter serie constituting what 1 term, and which will hereinafter lac referred to as, the daily memoranda holder, only such pockets of which as contain cards being tripped, successively, at predetermined in terrals, as, say, each. fifteen minutes d ring a certain number of hours, say twelve hours. The pockets or compartments, nothing; up

the of holders, may, obviously, be constructed in Lllllkll'tllltdl'itYS, and, for example, I have illustrated in the drawing and now proceed to describe one desirablenvay I'ln. the illustrated type more particularly :i 4 and 5), t; represents a plate, in this instance oblo, g or rectangular in shape, adapted to be seat-ed against the inner surface of the side wall a (or at), and to be suitably (preferably removably) secured thereto in any suitable manner, by screws, or the like (not shown) screwed through one or more. screw-openings 7) extending through said plate I) and registering with similar his wall 6, in the form illustrated, carries, at intervals, either integral therewith, or suitably secured thereto, vertical partitions 7), ex-

tending across one of said elongated openings X, or Y, in ,the top a, and resting, at their otherwise free ends, against the vertical wall 12 of said elongated opening, and carrying, at their tops, approm-iate tabs or cars 6* bearing printed numbers if, which, in the case of the pockets in' the daily memoranda holder B, constitute indicia of divisions, in certain number of minutes (in this instanceflifteen) of each hour, during a certain number of hours, in this in' stance twelve hours of the day; and each fourth partition Win the set carrying. at the top, at one end thereof, a tab or car I), hearing a number 5 which, in the case of the pockets in the daily nienioranda holder B, constitute indiciaof dill'crcnl hours of a day, the first hour, the second hour. and so on. In. this connection, it may be said that each partition 7) of tho monthly memoranda holder B carries, at the top, a tab or car l), bearing thercona printed number 0", which constitutes indicia. of the days of a month, the first day, the second The partitions If oi? the dailymcn'ioranda holder 1 l, to carry out my ideas, are, for an obrioiis purpose, necessarily, o'l course, grcatorthan those in the holder li. ln all other respects, the card-- pockets or compartments of the daily memoramla holder l3 and of the monthly menioramh'i holder l5 are identical, and a description of one will serve for both. Each two adjacent partitions 0- form lherebetween. a space I) for cards. thus constituting: a card-pocket, which pocket is open at the top and normally closed at the bottom by a swinging gate or lloor b 'lOl'lYlt'd as a plate, hinged, at opposite ends, to the plate I) and to the wall I)", as at 7;,1).

T/m tripping m/w/uu/fsm.-lhe mechanism for tripping the card-pockets. to discharge their contents, will now be described (lperativel associated with each swinginggate o is suitable mechanism adapted to he engaged by a tripper, to swing the gates /1" and, consequently, to dump the contents of the pockets or ('ompartmcnts. Said mechanism may take various torms: but l have found the one illustrated very desirable'aml elliracious for the purpose; and, in this case, said mechanism comprises a series ()fyYtl'llcally-rcci1)rocatory and rotatable lever-rods (,3, one thereof being provided for each pocket or (OlllPlllllllQlll' I). Said rods project, toward their top, through the top (1/ of the casing; and, preferably, their upper extremities are bent. at an angle to the main body of the rod, as at forming, as it were, an arm, or a handle, and, also, their lower extremities are desirably bent, as at 1:, but, ad 'anlageously, in a diainetrichlly opposite direction to the arms 0, these bent portions (1' constituting feet to be engaged by a trip per (presently to be described): and the lingers c and the arms 0 pointing in diametrically opposite directions. limrircling the upper portion of each rod (7 is a coiled spring its lower end bearing upon the upper surface of the top (a of the casing, and its upper end against a collar 1?" carried by the rod near the point where the handle or arm w joins the body of the rod, this spring subserving the obvious tunction ot automatically returning:- the lever-rod and, consorpwntly, the swinging ,Q'ulos 7 to initial or normal position, after said rod has been depressed and said gate swung; open. Each rod (7 passes through the eye c of a pin loosely mounted in hearings c secured to tho undo! surlace oi the swinging gate I). The pins c may be held on therods (l, against verti al roci uocul-ory movement tlwrcon. by any suitable means; in this in stance. by collars (7w fast on the rods and disposvil one directly ubovc and the other directly bcncalh said ye r. Said pins work in arcualo slots in the walls b It will now bosocn that, in order manu ally to dump the contents ot a particular. card-pocket or receptacle 1), all that has to gate b on its pivots Z), 7), thus opening the gate to dump the cards. As soon as the linger shall have been rel ased'trom the handle the coiled sp ing'cf immediately automatically returns the rod (l to initial position and. co11se p1entl the gate 0 to closed position. Beneath the movable gates Z) of each set ot holders l3 and. B is a card-discharge slide l3, 1", which converge toward their forward ems and merge into a common chute 1", leading to the openingw.

Mechanism is provided for automatically dumping the contents of the pockets Z1", which will'soon be (,lescribed; but it is to be noted that, in the case ol the daily mem oranda'holder B, l pre for that only those pockets shall be dumped which contain cards, and, consequently, in the-case ot' the daily inenioranda holder l3, when the handle or arm 8; of any rod isturned to point in the direction of the wall a of; the casing (for instance, one handle is so shown in F ig. 5), the foot. 0' of said rod is turned into the path of'moven'ient of the tripper.

(about to he described), so as to be engaged and moved thereby. 'lheret'ore, when an operator places a card in any pocket, of the daily memoranda holder 15', he turns the handle or ar1n c of the particular rod C controlling the gate of such pocket, so that it points in the direction of 'thewirall (1F.

of. the line or path of nioveinent of the tripper, and cannot be engaged thereby. In the case of the monthly ne1noranda',.holder pointing. in the direction-of the wall d vVhenthe handles or hrms 0 point in the reetion ofthe front wall a* of the casing (for instance, three of the, rods are so shown in Fig. 5), the feete of said rods'are out 15, my ideais to have the gates of these cardpoekets swung open at midnighfieachday,

irrespective of whether or not there be; any cards in the-compartments o'r poekets; and, with this idea in View, all. of the rods C' ap pertaining to'. the; monthly memoi'anda holder B may be turned withthe irari'ns' 0 whereby the feet c of allfsaid rods are'in the path of movement of the tripper. v of course, if desired, any one or more of the rods C, may lee turned (similarly tothe rods C) so that their feet '0 shall be out of. It is: to be understood, of course, that the two sets of rods C and 0 (one set C for the daily memoranda holder, B and the other set' the path of movement of the tripper.

O for the monthly memoranda holder 15) are constructed identically the same Mounted in suitable bearings in the't'ront ta'table \vormrodsl), l), carrying the trip- (presently to be described),

per-mechauisi 1 arranged in proximity to the rod DI the feet a of the rods 0, and the rodiDfbe But,

ing arranged in proximity to the feet C of the series of rods C; and the rod I) being more coarselyv threaded than the rod 1), whereby, tor the same movement given both rods, the trippingoi'lechanism on the rod D will travel farther than that on the rod Df Zach ot' the rods D, -D is provided with a; longitudinal groove, or l;ey-way, (I, extending the entire length of the rods. p Separate tripping mechanism is carried by each worm rod D, D; but, as it is the same on both rods, a description of ,the mechanism .carried by one red will serve tor both. Said trippingmechanism will 'nowhe described in connection with one rod, as l): Slidably and loosely mounted on the worm-rod D is a trippingntelnber I which may he variously formed, but, in

. this case. comprises a ,hub 0, having a smooth. uuthreaded bore, through which the worm-rod 1) extends, and having, also, at: one endfthereoit, an exterior, circuml eren tial, annular. groove 6; a key or spline 61 ,1 interiorly ot' the huh,.riding in .thekey-way" or groove-(Z in the worm-rod D, Whereby,.as the worm-rod I rotated, the tripper. E is, likewise, rotated; a linger e pro ecting for extending from said hub e, and adapted, inthe operation of the mechanism, to be brought into position to bear ripen the foot c (or a) of a rodtl (or C), whenever such foot lies in thepath ofmovem'ent thereof.

f Engaging the worm-rod D is a split collar F interiorly threaded, as at f, and formed in twosimilar sections, an upper section 11 and lower section 1*", each section having, at one end, a11 extensioi1 or. flange fflwhich extensions arehin-ged together t theirends,

- as by the hinge-pin f; eaelrot the 'seetions F, Ft, at its opposite end, 'ln vi -ig an extern sion f, forming a jaw. Each'jaw f carries a pin f and connecting said pins is, a spiral spring f, which. subserves the "function of automatically returning the jaws to closed position, after they havebcen opened by a 'o lever-and-wedge mechanism (presently to he. described).- t i I Tlfhetinvention contemplates the provision of meaas for automatically and quioklyre' turning the tripper l l toinitifal posit on, 116

after having completed its full travelya/nd, .while this mechanism ay ftahewva ions, forms, I'have found that illustratedth j drawings and new to heldescribedfveryefli: I c'aeious and desirable for the purpose) 20 Coupling the ,tripper E to said 'split collar? (toe-med of the seetions F, F) is a iueihbt eomprising an army, one endof which i leoselvf mounted -onravherizontal rod mounted in suitable hearings in thecasing 1525 and disposed parallel to the worm-rod D, the rod ll thus preventing any-rotarynrovement of the member Gr. 'Tliemelnher G also 4 comprises theyokegfl'engagin and riding in. thegroovele ofjthe tripper ,i -The yoke 13a 55 may and preferably do use terminates in an ear through which,

passes said pivot or hinge-pin Carried by the arm y are two cars [1, a between which is fulcrumed on pin f a I lever I, having. at one end. a wedge-shaped head 'z', adapted to be forced between and, thus, to open the jaws f, f*, and, at the other end, an arm i arrangedin the path of i movement of a stop or abutment it, adjustably carried by the rod it toward one end thereof. The adjustiiig-feature may be provided by a set-screw h passing through said stop and clamping it to the rod, or may be secured in any other desired manner. Said rod H carries. toward the other end thereof, another similar stop IF, also arranged in the path of travel of said lever-arm 2' Secured to the ears g is a cord Ir, or the like, which passes over suitable guides, such as pulleys la, and is wound upon a springroller K supported toward the rear of the casing A.

The operation of the i'nechanism just described is, it is thought, obvious, but, briefly described, is as :t'ollmvs: \Vlien the tripper E completes its full travel along the wormrod 1), the lever-arm 1T strikes against the stop 7:, which moves the lever I upon its fulcrum and forces the wedge. 11 ('arried by said lever) between the jaws f", j" of the internally-threaded, split collar F, thus swinging open said jaws and the two sections 1, l of the split-collar F on their hinge f, and, of course, as soon as the tions 1*, i are opened, their internally screw threaded faces are released from engagement with the threads of the worm-rod l). The springgroller K thereupon operates to wind up thereon the. cord .51, thereby pulling said split-collar F and its connected tripper E back to initial position. As said collar F and tripper I) reach initial position, the lever-arm i strikes against the abutment or stop 11 which gives a reverse movement to said lever-arm i, lever l, and wedge v', and rocking said wedge out of said jaws f, f, whereupon the spring f, attached to said jaws, operates to close them. It is to he understood, of course, that the wormrod l) carries identically the same trippinganechanism amlnnecluinisni for releasing said tripping-mechanism to return the same to initial position as has been described in connection with the \V()]'lli*l'(i(l l), and that arod ll, similar to rod ll, is also macessarily provided, adjacent the wormrod 1).

'1 'he 'l/r/IW'lb-POdoperating wweiul/rris'm. The worm-rods I) and l) are operated by clockwork, through interposed mechanism, consisting,essentially,of a large main spring and a train of gears, which will now be de scribed: Any well-known and common clockmechanism may be used with my device. I the wel l-known Seth Thomas #10 clock-movement; but, as it forms no part of my invention and is well-known, all of the ch)ck-mechamsm has been omitted from the drawings, except one of the time-shafts l. Said tiu-ie-shaft 1 car- 1 ries, concentrically disposed thereon, an anirtilar disk 2, carrying, eireumferentially, a

suitable number of eipii-distant pins 3, aeeordiug to which tin'ie-sha'l't said disk is on; in this instance, four pins are shown.

4 designates a main-spring wheel or barrel fast on a shaft 5, provided, at one end, with a winding-stem .3. Sai l shaft carries, fast thereon, a ratchet-wheel ti engaged by a spring-pressed pawl or dog 7 pivoted to the casing 8, the pawl-spring being desig nated. by t). The -atclu-t-whecl (3, of course,

is used in winding up the spring in the barrel 4c, the power being retained by means of the dog or pawl and spring 9. Any suitable train of gears may be used. As one example, I showand describe the following: The spring-barrel 4t carries, circun'iferentially, a gear 10, meshing with a small pinion 11 on a shaft 12. Carried by the shaft 12 and revolving in unison with the pinion 11 is a large gear 13, meshing, in turn, with a smaller gear 14. Gear '14. revolves in unison with a larger gear 15, which meshes with a small pinion it: fast on a revoluble shaft 17. Also fast on said shaft l7 is a gear 18, meshing with another larger gear 19. Revolving in unison with the gear 19 is a concentrically-disposed wheel 20, carrying, circumferentially, a plurality of teeth of varying length. Each alternate tooth 21 is longer than the next adjacent tooth 22. The distance between any one of said short teeth and the next preceding longer tooth is less than the distance'between said short tooth and the next succeeding longer tooth, as shown clearly in .Fig. 12. Revolving in unison with said gear 19 and with said v. heel 20, and mounted concentrically therewith, is a large gear-wheel N, which meshes with a gear M fast on the end of the worn'rrod 1). Gear N also meshes with a gear 0 (whicl'r is much smaller than the gear M), the latter meshing with a still smaller gear l) fast on the end of worm-shaft D. As before PXCII'IISOtl, I prefer to have the cardcon'ipartments of the daily memoranda holder, dumped, successively, at fifteenminute intervals during twelve-hours, and the card-compartments in the monthly memoranda holder dumped. successively, at mid-night each night. 'lherefore, the tripping-merhanism carried by the wormshaft 1) must, move along said, rod at greatly less speed than the tripper carried by the worm-shaft. l). in movement eou'ld less than that on the Worm-shaft D; yet I prefer as an advantageous arrangement and construction not only to have a greater pitch of the threads on the worm-shaft I),

but, also, to provide that the \vorm shat't I) the gnu" .N, and to have the gear M much larger than the gear-s0, L.

The operation of the mechanism apparent from the foregoing description of the construction and arrangementof the difi'erent cooperating parts: The time-shaft 1 revolves, and each fifteen minutes two oi the teeth on the wheel (a longer tooth 21 and a shorter tooth 22) escape past one of the pins 2 on' disk 2 carried by said time shatt. The short tooth passes first, opening the gate of one of the card-compartments, and, a moment later, said longer tooth escapes past said pin, allowing the gate of said cardcompartment to close.

Having thus fully described my invention, \vliat lclaim as new and desire to secure by Letters-Patent is:

1. A casing, several series of receptacles therein adapted for the temporary retention and eventual discharge therefrom of articles, the receptacles of each series being controllable to discharge their contents independently of the time otldischa-rge of the contents of the receptacles of theother series, and automatically operating time-controlled mechanism common to both series governing and cll'ecting said independent discharge, as aforesaid.

2. A casing, several series of receptacles therein, the receptacles of cachfseries being controllable to discharge their contents independently of the time of discharge of the contents of the receptacles of the other series, and anton'iaticallyoperating mechanism common to both series governing and etl'ecting said independent discharge, as aforesaid, and including a main spring and time-controlled means for releasing said spring at intervals.

, A casing, several series of receptacles therein, the receptacles of each series being controllable to discharge their contents in dependently of the time of discharge of the contents of the receptacles of the other.se.

tries, and automatically-operating mechanism common to both series governing and etlecting said independent discharge, as aforesaid, and'lncludmg a main spring, a train of gears, and t1meeont-rolledmeans v for releasing said spring at intervals;

t. casing, several separate and distinctseries of .a'eceptacles' therein adaptable for the temporary retention therein and eventual discharge therefrom of articles such as series of receptacles therein adaptable for the temporary retention therein and evontual discharge therefrom of articles such as niemorandacards, and automatically-operating time-controlled mechanism for auto matically-discharging the contents of said receptacles, said mechanism discharging the contents of the compartments of each series at a (litterent time, said mechanism ineluding: Worm-shafts, each worm-shaft being operatively-associated with a di'llerent' series of said receptacles; an operating mainspring, a train of gears connecting said spring and said worm-shafts; and means for automatically releasing intervals.

6. A casing, several separate and distinct series of receptacles therein adaptable for the temporary retention therein and eventual discharge therefrom oil? articles such as memoranda-cards, and automatically-operating, tinw-controllcd mechanism for automatieally-disclnn-ging the contents of said receptacles. said mechanism discharging the contents of the compartments of eachseries at a ditlerent time, said mechanism including: worm-shafts of differing coarseness of thread, each \vorm-shal't being operativelyassociated with a ditlerentseries of said 'receptacles; an operating main-spring; ncohanismintermediate of and operatively asso-- ciatcd with said warm-shafts and said spring; and means tor automatically releasing said spring at intervals. I

7. A casing, several series of receptacles therein, each receptacle being provided with a movable gate, the gates of each series besaid spring at ing operable inde icndent'ly of the timeof operationof'the gates of the other series, and automatically-operatmg tIIIlG CODiK'OllGd .meehanism common to both series effecting said inde vendent operat on of thegates, as

aforesaid.

8. A; easing, several series of receptacles therein, each receptacle being provided with a movablegate, the gates of'each series bein operable independently of the tnneot operationo'f thegatesof the other series, and, au

toma tically -;operatingmechanism :contunon to both serieseitcctm said inde endent. 0

. s P l eration of the gates, as'aforesaid,c said mechanism including a main spring, and time controlled means tor-releasing said spring at intervals.

9. A casing, several separate and distinct series of receptacles therein, said receptacles being each provided with a movable gate. and automatically-operating mechanism for automatically-actuating said gates, successively, said mechanism including, essentially, an operating main-spring, \vorm-sha'tts, each worm-shaft being operatively-associated with the movable gates of a ditl'erent. series of compartn'ients, mechanism intermediate of and operatively-associated with. said worm-shafts and said spring, and time-controlled means for releasing said spring at intervals.

10. A casing, several series of receptacles therein, each receptacle being provided with a movable gate, tripable means operatively associated with each gate, the gate-tripable means of each series of receptacles being tripable independently of the tilne of tripping of the gatc-tripable means of the other series, and means for autmnatically actuating Mlltl gatetripable means of each series independently of the time of actuation of the tripable means of the other series, including a main spring, and time-controlled means common to both series for releasing said spring at intervals.

ll. A casing, several separate and distinct series of receptacles therein, said receptacles being each provided. with a movable gate, trip-able means opcratively associated with each gate, and means for automatically actuating' said trip-able means, successively, and including: wtn'msha't'ts, rach wormsha't't for use in connection with a dilt'erent series of compartments, tripping means movable on said worm-shafts and engagcable with said tripable means, and means tor actuating said worm-shatts to move said trippingm ans longitudimilly thereon and including an operating main-spring, and time-controlled means for releasing said spring at intervals.

12. A casing, several separate and distinct series of receptacles therein, said receptacles being each provided with a movable gate, tripable means operatively associated with each gate, and means for automatically aetuating said tripable means, successively, and including: worm-shafts, each mam-shaft. for use in connection with a different. series oi compartments, a tripper carried by and movable longitudinally on each worm-shaft, and means .l'or actuating said .vorm-shal'ls to move said trippers alsong said shafts and including an operating main-spring, and time-controlltal. means tor releasing said spring at intervals; and means :tor a.uto matically returning said trippers to initial position arlter completion of their range of travel.

l l l l both series automat' returning 13. A casing, several series of receptacles a movable gate, trip-able means operatively associated with each gate, the gate-tripable means o'l? each series of receptacles being tripable ilulependently of the time of tripping oi the gate-tripable means of the other series, said gate-tripable means including a vertically reciprocatory tripable member, and time-controlled mechanism. common to both series automatically actuating said gatcdripable means of each se ies independently of the time of actuation of the tripable means of the other series.v

Ll. A casing, several series of receptacles therein, each receptacle being provided with a movable gate, tripable means operatively associated with each gate, the gate-tripable means ot each series of receptacles being tripablc independently of the time of tripping ot the gate-tripable means of the other series, said tripable means being movable out of tripable position, and time-contr0lled mechanism common to both series automatically actuating said gate--tripablemeans of each series independently of the-time of actuation ot the tripable means of the other series.

1.3. A casing, several series of receptacles therein. each receptacle being provided with a movable gate, tripable means operatively associated with each. gate, the gate-tripable means of each series of receptacles being opera hle. imlependcntly of the time of tripping of the gate'tripable means of the other series, time-controlled mechanism common to ally actuating said gatetripahle means at each series independently of the actuation of the tripable means of the other series, and means for automatically aid tripable means to normal position after actuation thereof.

ltl. EL casing, several series of receptacles therein. each receg'itacle being provided with a movable gate, tripable means operatively associated with each gate, the gate-tripable means of each series of receptacres beingoperable indepemlently of the time of tripping or the gate-tripable means of the other series, timecontrolled mechanism common to both series automatimlly actuating said gatetripable means ot each series independently ot the actuation of the trip-able means of the other series, and spring means for automatially rcturnii'ig said tripable means to non mal position ai'tcr actuation thereof.

IT. A casing. a series of receptacles therein. each provided with a movable gate, tripable means opeiatively associattal with each gate," including a vertically disposed, tripable member, both rotatable and vertically,

reciprocable, and time-controlled mechanism automatically tripping said tripable member to move said gates.

18. A casing, a series of receptacles theretherein, each recq'itacle being provided with in,-ca'cli provided with a movable gate, trip- In testimony whereof I have hereunto set ubln ne-Lins ()pemtively associated with each m hand in presence of two subscribing \vit- 10 gattyl including. i vertically-disposed, trip- 1 nesses.

'ble member, both rotatable and vertically rvggipro rable; and having, at its bottom, a lt and, at its top, a handle, and time-com it 0' l-l :dmjechanisin automatically tripping saicl-jripable .inenibcr to move spid gates.

HARRY BATES.

Witnesses: v

A. M. SMITH, R0151. VON WALmmNwiz. 

